Meet the hairstylist behind Alexa, Rosie & Kim K

Beauty |
By Jess Rogers
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As far as hair crushes go, George Northwood is the man behind pretty much all of ours. From the much copied and requested Alexa, to Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's fresh-to-death new lob, George has become the go-to stylist for basically every Brit cool girl you've ever pinned. Oh, and Kim K has him on speed dial when she comes to London. We spoke to the man himself about staying on the cutting edge...

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You opened your first salon a year ago — how would you sum up your first year? It's been a crazy year and a massive learning curve, but I get a buzz from it like I've never had from anything before. I'm so proud of what we've achieved.

What's your hair philosophy? We want to make people look like they have naturally great hair as opposed to it being over-styled. Times have changed — girls used to want to look like they had just walked out of a salon, now they just want to look they have great hair. It's that effortless London feel that every girl seems to want right now.

Alexa Chung sporting hair by George Northwood

Picture: Getty

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Your signature cut is the bob. Why do you think it's so popular RN? For so long, girls were hanging onto their length and that kind of boho vibe. Then celebs like Sienna Miller cut their hair off and that made a big impact on what girls were asking for. So now girls are being more confident, finding their girl power and going for it!

What inspires you? I love art and traveling — a lot of my inspiration comes from taking time out in beautiful places and letting my thoughts run wild. In terms of hairdressers Guido Palau and Tracey Cunningham are a huge inspiration to me.

Picture: Capital

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You've just launched the Bob Bar — how did that come about? We have been using Pinterest a lot for the salon and it's something that has really taken off (we're up to 900,000 followers!). We noticed how strong this idea of working from pictures was, and in synergy with the bob having a bit of a moment, we decided to bring the two things together. We came up with four bob looks and have even created wigs, which adds a fun element, so customers can try looks out first. You can bespoke it too and take elements from each bob. People love it! It's all about providing inspiration, which is what Pinterest is all about.

Northwood outside his salon

Picture: Rex

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You have cut Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Alexa Chung's hair for years. What are they like to work with? They are among my best friends. It's lovely to have such a long-term relationship with them. We've known each other so long it's just really natural and organic — there is a real trust there. I feel like I've made friendships for life with both of them.

Was Rosie's new lob her idea or yours? I'd been hinting at her for a while and then she texted me over Christmas to say she was ready for the chop. So we opened the salon especially and cut her hair to mid-length. Then she went back to LA and got the bug and called to say she wanted even more off. So I flew to LA in January and we cut it even more. So it was kind of a collaboration but I planted the seed.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley with her 2015 "lob"

Picture: Capital

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Who's your most adventurous client? Pixie Geldof always does great things with her hair. I've done her off and on for years and I recently put extensions in. What I love about her is she has tried everything — cropped, red, black, blonde etc.

What was it like working with Kim K for the GQ Awards last year? She is every bit as nice as she is on the show. I was really chuffed to work with her. I think I sum up London hair quite well with the girls I do, and she wanted to get the London look. She let me do that wavy textured look that is probably a bit more undone than you'd get in LA and she loved it.

Pixie Geldof with hair by George

Picture: Instagram

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What are your tips for girls who want to replicate the messy "cool girl" bob? Have a consultation first to suss out if they are any good or not. Then make sure you decide on the right length to suit you. It's always good to get the hairdresser to chop into it — be sure to ask for choppy not layered. Definitely no layers. And invest in a pair of tongs so you can get those cool natural waves.

What are your favorite hair products? My all-time favorite product is Redken Rootful, a volumizing spray which I use on most people. I also love Pureology Super Smooth Relaxing Serum which is great for frizzy hair. Budget wise, I love Elnett hairspray. It's amazing.

Kim Kardashian, with hair styled by George for the 2014 GQ Awards

Picture: Getty

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Which celeb's hair do you love that you don't cut? Sarah Jessica Parker. Maybe because I'm such a Sex and The City fan. Her hair always looks great and there is so much of it. I always think Angelina Jolie looks great as well. They are quite different from my style but maybe that's why I love them so much.

What do you predict will be the next big hair trend? I think everyone will move on from the bob and hair will start to get really short!